Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03OTTAWA178
2003-01-16 19:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:  

CANADIAN POSITION ON IRAQ UNCHANGED

Tags:  PREL MOPS IZ CA UN 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000178 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2013
TAGS: PREL MOPS IZ CA UN
SUBJECT: CANADIAN POSITION ON IRAQ UNCHANGED

REF: (A) OTTAWA 49 (B) 02 OTTAWA 3502

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stephen R. Kelly,
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000178

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2013
TAGS: PREL MOPS IZ CA UN
SUBJECT: CANADIAN POSITION ON IRAQ UNCHANGED

REF: (A) OTTAWA 49 (B) 02 OTTAWA 3502

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stephen R. Kelly,
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Despite Prime Minister Chretien's January 15 comment
that "the international community must speak and act through
the UN Security Council," Canada's position on military
participation in a potential war against Iraq is unchanged.
Contacts at Foreign Affairs and National Defense assured us
on January 16 that the Canadian response to our request for a
military contribution (given to the State Department in
December - reftels) remains the same: Canada will participate
militarily if there is a UN-sanctioned campaign, and reserves
judgement on participation if there is no explicit UNSC
authorization.


2. (C) Defense Minister McCallum made this position -
including the possibility that Canada would participate in a
campaign not endorsed by the UN - very clear in a press
conference following his January 9 meeting with Secretary
Rumsfeld, to the consternation of the left wing of the ruling
Liberal Party. Several backbench Liberal MPs complained
afterward that Canada should only support military action
blessed by the UNSC, and some called for debate in Parliament
on the Canadian position. The Prime Minister, who never
likes to commit himself earlier than necessary on
controversial issues, was not pleased. He told the press
that McCallum "replied to a hypothetical question that he has
reflected upon and corrected since that time." Chretien
reaffirmed McCallum's statement that Canada would participate
in a UNSC-blessed operation, but refused to speculate on
whether Canada would join a campaign not endorsed by the UN.


3. (C) McCallum, a professional economist who became Defense
Minister in May 2002 and was first elected to Parliament in
2000, is still learning the ropes of Cabinet politics,
including the finer points of obfuscating before the media.
He violated one of Chretien's basic rules - not to infringe
upon the Prime Minister's room for maneuver - and was put
down for his efforts. We continue to believe that Canada
would join a coalition of the willing in a campaign against
Iraq, even if the Security Council were divided, but that
Chretien would prefer to avoid having to make that
politically tough decision.
CELLUCCI